Improvement in canopy-tops for children s carriages



'0. W. F. DARE. Canopy Top for Childrens Garriages.'.

No. 208,718. Patented Oct. 8,1878.

HYPETERS, PHOYD-UTHOGRAPHER WASHANGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES \V. F. DARE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN CANOPY-TOPS FOR CHILDRENS CARRIAGES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 208,718, at d O 8, 1879 application filed April 25, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. F. DARE, of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Canopy-Top for Childrens Carriages, of which the following is a specification:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinalsection of my improved canopy-top, showing it folded together. Fig. 2 is a similar section of the same, showing it open. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view through the knob and catch, showin g the same 011 an enlarged scale; and Fig. 4 is an inner face view thereof.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

The object of this invention is to improve the construction of that kind of canopy-tops which aremade hollow and provided with folded lids. Heretofore such canopy-tops had their joints or hinges at the front or back ends, and in swinging the lids open the trimming of leather or other fabric which embraces the canopy-top was more or less crushed out of shape, and soon spoiled by frequent opening and closing of the lid. Such folding tops also require special provision for holding them open, and for preventing them from tearing off the hinges when opened.

To avoid all these difficulties, my invention consists in attaching the lid rigidly to one part of the frame of the canopy-body, and in mak-' ing the frame itself in two pieces, of which one is hinged to the other, all as hereinafter more fully described. I thus throw the hinge off the end of the canopy-top, and avoid the difficulties which were heretofore experienced.

In the accompanying drawing, the letter A represents the lid or cover, of a hollow canopytop. The body of the canopy-top is made in two pieces, B and G, which pieces are hinged together at a, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The cover A is rigidly united to one of these two pieces, preferably to the shorter piece, 0, as indicated in Fig. 2, and in opening it the lid will carry the piece 0 into and beyond the vertical position by its own weight, as is also shown in Fig. 2, thereby holding the lid open without causing the parts of the frame to be unduly strained.

By this construction I am enabled to aflix an ornamental lining or trimming around the entire edge of the lid A, and yet said lining or trimming will not be disturbed by the folding or unfolding of said lid; nor is any spring or other device required for holding the lid open, as it readily assumes the required position, as shown in Fig. 2.

E is the catch by which the lid is held shut. I cast the knob proper, b, and the L-shaped shank (Z and the catch part c, which are the parts constituting the catch E, in one single piece, as indicated in Fig. 3, and apply the same to the frame of the canopy-top by sinking one arm of the shank (1 into a groove of said frame, and then closing said groove by a wooden strip, f, as indicated in Fig. 3, thus confining the whole catch in place. All that is necessary in addition to this mode of fastening the catch is to apply the spring g against the same, in manner indicated.

I claim- The hollow canopytop 'constructed of the frame made in two separate parts, B and (3, that are hinged together, and of the lid or cover A, which is rigidly attached to the part 0 of the frame, substantially as specified.

( \Y. F. DARE.

Witnesses:

T. B. MOSHER, F. v. BRIEsEN. 

